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Join today<\/a><\/p>\n \n Already a member? Your support helps us to tell the story<\/p>\n From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n Your support makes all the difference.Read more<\/p>\n Growing evidence suggests that a huge amount of the pre-packaged food we consume could be damaging our health. <\/a><\/p>\n But it\u2019s not just fried food and takeaways that we should be wary of<\/a>, buying food for the weekly shop has become a minefield.<\/p>\n Ultra-processed food (UPF) such as ready meals, crisps, sugary snacks and breakfast cereals, have been linked to poor health<\/a>, including an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, cancer and early death.<\/p>\n Even foods such as sliced bread, flavoured yoghurt and some cereals are high in salt, fat, sugar and contain a long list of preservatives and emulsifiers, leaving shoppers second guessing what is actually healthy.<\/p>\n Here, The Independent asks nutritionists what the healthier and non UPF options are.<\/p>\n What are healthier swaps? <\/p>\n Strawberry yoghurt<\/p>\n Rather than buying a flavoured yoghurt which is likely to be high in sugar, nutritionist Rob Hobson suggests buying plain Greek yoghurt and simply adding fresh strawberries. <\/p>\n \u201cYou still get the protein and calcium, but you’re choosing a simpler product without the added flavourings, sweeteners and thickeners found in some flavoured yoghurts,\u201d he told the Independent. <\/p>\n White wraps<\/p>\n Wholemeal pitta breads are a good swap for white wraps. Mr Hobson explained this is because they contain a \u201csimpler ingredients list\u201d and contain more fibre. <\/p>\n White wraps often contain emulsifiers and other additives to maintain their soft texture and long shelf life, he added. <\/p>\n Another suggestion is making \u201cegg wraps\u201d, nutritionist Kim Pearson who specialises in weight loss told the Independent. <\/p>\n These can be made by whisking two eggs with a pinch of salt, and cooking on a pan with a small amount of oil. Ms Pearson said they take one to two minutes to cook and can be filled with ingredients of choice before rolling up and serving. <\/p>\n Granola<\/p>\n The oat-based breakfast may appear to be one of the healthiest options, but opting for a simple muesli can help to reduce sugar intake.<\/p>\n \u201cGo for a simple muesli based on oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruit. It’s generally less formulated than many granolas and often lower in added sugar as well,\u201d Mr Hobson said. <\/p>\n Ms Pearson also suggests eating a granola that is based on wholefood ingredients such as seeds and nuts.<\/p>\n Chicken nuggets<\/p>\n While they are a convenient source of protein, nuggets are higher in salt and fat than just a regular chicken breast, so should be eaten in moderation. <\/p>\n But a healthier alternative would be breaded chicken breast fillets or goujons which contain fewer ingredients, Mr Hobson said. <\/p>\n \u201cLook for ones made from whole pieces of chicken with a simple breadcrumb coating rather than reformed chicken with lots of additional ingredients,\u201d he explained. <\/p>\n Sliced brown bread<\/p>\n A wholemeal sourdough bread, which can contain a simpler ingredients list, could be a better choice, according to Mr Hobson. <\/p>\n But sliced bread, especially if it is wholemeals is not inherently bad, even if it is considered to be a UFP. <\/p>\n \u201cIf regular sliced bread is what you enjoy or can afford, there’s no need to ditch it \u2013 choose wholemeal and look for one with fewer additives and ideally some seeds or wholegrains,\u201d Mr Hobson stressed. <\/p>\n Pesto<\/p>\n Jarred pasta sauces such as pesto<\/a> are a quick and easy dinner, but some are classed as a UPF.<\/p>\n Some brands contain maize fibre, whey powder and flavourings and can be high in salt, with some jars containing 0.7g to 3.3g of salt per 100g. <\/p>\n Mr Hobson suggests buying the pesto from the chilled aisle to avoid the added ingredients.<\/p>\n \u201cThese often have a simpler formulation based around basil, oil, cheese, nuts and garlic, but still check the label as recipes vary between brands,\u201d he explained. <\/p>\n Ms Pearson suggests making pesto at home to avoid excess salt and fat. <\/p>\n Chocolate biscuits<\/p>\n It’s a no-brainer that chocolate biscuits are not a healthy food, but there are healthier options if you crave a sweet snack, according to nutritionists. <\/p>\n Mr Hobson said opting for darker chocolate biscuits that contain nuts can be the healthier choice. <\/p>\n \u201cIt’s generally a simpler product than a filled or coated biscuit, while the nuts add fibre and unsaturated fats,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Frozen pizza<\/p>\n Pizza, while delicious, isn\u2019t the healthiest dinner. But that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t eat it on occasion. <\/p>\n Mr Hobson said buying a simpler pizza with a shorter list of recognisable ingredients with toppings such as tomato, mozzarella and vegetables is best. <\/p>\n \u201cPizza doesn’t automatically need to be avoided just because it comes ready-made,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Sausages<\/p>\n
\n Log in<\/a>\n <\/p>\n![\"Some](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-1240837006.jpg\")
Some sliced bread, flavoured yoghurt and some cereals are considered to be UPF (GettY)<\/p>\n![\"Among](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/31124634-3aa91aa1-900b-48fb-b520-f105376c4425.jpg\")
Among the most commonly eaten ultra-processed foods in the UK is shop-bought mass-produced bread (Alamy\/PA) (Alamy\/PA)<\/p>\n![\"Pasta](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1238444991...jpeg\")
Pasta sauces can be classed as UPF and some contain high amounts of salt (AFP\/Getty)<\/p>\n